november 16 weekly menu | fall table

Farm Fresh

beets, carrots, kale, gourmet greens, onions, parsnips, winter squash

What’s for Dinner?

Friday
parsnip puree (Nigel Slater, Tender)
sauteed kale and onions (Gourmet)
grilled rib-eye steak

Saturday 
squash rings with honey-soy glaze (Bon Appetit)
cod marinated in Asian plum sauce

Sunday
chicken and root vegetable pot pie (Cooking Light)

Monday
mixed green salad with basic vinaigrette (Mark Bittman, The New York Times)
roasted beet risotto (Gourmet)

Tuesday
Carrot and Parsnip Hash (Katherine Deumling, SIO Blog)

Wednesday – Pre-feast Soup Night!
baguette
potato soup with kale and chorizo (Bon Appetit)
curried red lentil and swiss chard soup (Oprah Magazine)

Thursday – UFT Thanksgiving Feast
Stay tuned…I get an entire CSA veggie delivery devoted to this most amazing foodie holiday!

Friday

parsnip puree (Nigel Slater, Tender)
sauteed kale and onions (Gourmet)
grilled rib-eye steak

Use maybe one to one and a half pounds of parsnips for four people.  For the sauteed kale, I make it easier by not pre-boiling the kale.  Just add it to the onions and garlic with the olive oil (or half olive oil, half butter), and sautee it slowly until it is tender, putting a lid on if necessary to steam with a bit of water.  Both of these veggie side dishes will be delicious with grilled meat.  Maybe just a bit of olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper on the steak (and balsamic vinegar or red wine if you want more flavor).

Saturday 

squash rings with honey-soy glaze (Bon Appetit)
cod marinated in Asian plum sauce

Again, my choice of fish is influenced by the seafood counter at New Seasons Market – always something delicious and fresh from the Northwest.

Sunday

chicken and root vegetable pot pie (Cooking Light)

This is a fun one to just use what you’ve got, and what you love.  I’m going to make it vegetarian-friendly, skipping the chicken and using mountains of veggies…potatoes and celeriac still hanging around from last week, plus acorn squash, carrots, parsnips, and onions from this week.  Who doesn’t love pot pie on a cold, rainy day?!?  I’ll always remember when a friend brought me pot pie immediately after I had a baby – the ultimate in comfort food!

Monday

mixed green salad with basic vinaigrette (Mark Bittman, The New York Times)
roasted beet risotto (Gourmet)

This risotto is fabulous and so pretty with its vibrant red color.  Don’t worry if you don’t have beets with greens on them – skip that part, or add other greens.

Tuesday

Carrot and Parsnip Hash (Katherine Deumling, SIO Blog)

We’re taking it easy in the kitchen as the big feast approaches.  This looks like a super simple way to use some of my root vegetables and enjoy eggs and bacon for dinner – yum!

Wednesday – Pre-feast Soup Night!

potato soup with kale and chorizo (Bon Appetit)
curried red lentil and swiss chard soup (Oprah Magazine)

Nights like these, where there might already be all sorts of turkey day food preparations already under way (aka kitchen chaos), are perfect times to take advantage of my “inventory” of frozen soups.  Generally, these soups are what I make at the end of each CSA week, using up any veggie I hadn’t been able to yet.  I pull two or three out, keep them simmering on low, add a baguette and some wine, and I’m ready for any relative or friend that might arrive.

I often use greens interchangeably in soups…kale, chard, spinach, whatever green I’ve got on hand.

Thursday – UFT Thanksgiving Feast

Stay tuned…I get an entire CSA veggie delivery devoted to this most amazing foodie holiday!

“What the Kale?!?”

Don’t panic and get out the compost bin if all of the sudden you have a giant veggie delivery coming your way, and you still have a fridge full.  Here are a few suggestions for preserving the bounty!  (Soups and stews freeze wonderfully in those gallon zip lock freezer bags.)

beef, pumpkin, & ginger stew (Joanna Farrow, 200 One Pot Meals); try it with acorn squash
roasted winter vegetables (Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa Family Style); add 6-8 cups chicken broth and puree for soup